Dr. Murai Éva szerk.: Parasitologia Hungarica 24. (Budapest, 1991)

been reported. The disease is famous for protean, chronic, fluctuating manifestations resembling another spirochetal illness, syphilis and is a candidate for the award of the "great imitator". Lb occurs world-wide. By WHO estimates, we have to face 300.000 new cases per year. Probably, Europe is the most infected area in the world; Lb has been reported by 19 of the 32 European countries (161). The aim of the present study is to describe the clinical picture and epidemiology of Lb in Hungary. This work was inspired by the first recognition of Lb cases in 1984. It became obvious that the disease was not a rarity and after the introduction of serological testing for Bb in 1986, the number of identified cases has increased exponentially with time. The clinical, therapeutical and epidemiological features of Lb based on 1175 Hungarian cases are described in this paper. The first isolation of Bb from ticks is also reported. Abbreviations: ACA - acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans, Bb - Borrelia burgdorferi, BS - Bannwarth's syndrome, ECM - erythema chronicum migrans CNSI - central nervous system involvement Lb - Lyme borreliosis LBC - lymphadenosis benigna cutis PN - peripheral neuritis IFA - indirect immunofluorescence assay MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients The present study starts with the first recognized Hungarian Lb cases in July 1984 and finishes in the end of 1989. A total of 3549 patients were tested for Bb antibody during this period. Of them, 3304 were suitable for further investigation. Serum and/or CSF samples were sent by 851 physicians from 191 hospitals to our laboratory. Of the 436 patients seen by the author 167 cases were treated by him. Moreover 692 patients were examined in his institute, the Central Hospital for Infectious Diseases. Questionnaires were filled up for data processing in these latter cases. Methods Serology Standard indirect immunofluorescence test (IFA) was used. We started by using as antigen Borrelia burgdorferi strain N 34, originated from a German neurological case of Lb, went on to a Swedish tick isolate, G 152, and since December